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On 13 December the Executive Director of MODA Dr Kamal Rasul delivered a one-day training at Norwich, organised and supported by the Partnership Development Project of MENTER, to representatives of organisations and stakeholders involved in the Norwich Asylum and Refugee Forum (NASREF). The training programme was developed specifically to support involvement of refugee communities in the multi-agency forums and partnerships in the East of England. It is the first time that Norwich becomes a dispersal city and 600 asylum seekers are now in Norfolk area, 200 of them are accommodated in Norwich city. The purpose of the training day was to:
- Explore how to involve refugee community representatives
- Understand the challenges that community representatives face
- Establish how community representatives can be supported
- Prepare an action plan for community development for refugee community organisations
The training focused on exploring the issues and obstacles to genuine effective participation of refugees and excluded groups in particular and small grassroots organisations in general in multi-agency forums, partnerships and organisational processes and identifying conceptual tools, practical mechanisms and action points to empower genuine participation. Representatives of 18 public and mainstream voluntary agencies attended the training day which was marked by what the participants described as "incredibly clear, informative and involving" interactive presentation by Dr Rasul and enthusiastic participation of the trainees in the debate and in workshops which produces a wealth of creative ideas and practical mechanisms that can be applied to ensure effective involvement, recognition, respect and role for refugees and asylum seekers in the forums established to empower their participation and integration in the local community. Further feedback and the results of evaluation of the training day will be published in the next issue.(16/12/2005)
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